Clackamas Family Law Mentoring Program
On April 20, the judges of the Clackamas County bench together with the assistance of the pro tem judges of the family law bench started a mentoring opportunity for new lawyers. Participants meet every Friday from noon to 1 p.m., in the Clackamas County courtroom in the Holman Building. All lawyers with five years of experience or less, as well as and law students, are invited to this informal roundtable discussion of family issues. The floor is open to discuss the who, what and how of family law cases of all kinds. It’s also a great chance for new lawyers to get to know some of the judges of Clackamas County.

Bring your questions, your issues and your answers. Bring a lunch, too. There is no fee, and there is no MCLE credit currently.

O’Connell Conference May 11 on Technology and the First Amendment
The University of Oregon School of Law and the OSB Appellate Practice Section are teaming up to present the annual O’Connell Conference from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, May 11, at the White Stag Block in downtown Portland. The 2012 conference will focus on First Amendment issues, with an emphasis on how the “E World” has changed, or should change, our definitions of “speech,” “press” and “assembly.”

The event examines cutting edge issues facing appellate judges, but is open to the general public. Six MCLE credits have been approved. Cost for the event is $25 for the general public and members of the practicing bar. The event is free for all judges, appellate clerks and staff attorneys to the court. Register at www.uoregonlaw.com/oconnell2012.

Save the Date: 11th Annual Race for Justice June 16
St. Andrew Legal Clinic wants you to mark Saturday, June 16 on your calendar as this year’s Race for Justice at Madeleine Parish. A kids’ fun run will kick things off at 9:45 a.m., followed by a 5K run/walk at 10:15. Participants are invited to stay for a post-race party, which will be held outside on the Madeleine campus. Strollers are welcome; pets are not allowed on parish premises, however.

If you don’t want to participate in the race, you can visit www.tinyurl.com/Race Pledges to pledge support for your favorite runner or walker. All donations will benefit St. Andrew Legal Clinic, a provider of legal services to low income people since 1979.

CLE Programs on Local Courts (Good for Non-Locals)The following Multnomah Bar Association CLE seminars are being offered in May. For more information and to register, visitwww.mbabar.org.

May 24: Washington & Clackamas County Courts Update. This two-hour CLE features court updates from Presiding Judge Kirsten Thompson of Washington County and Presiding Judge Robert Herndon of Clackamas County. Come and learn more about local procedures, including filing your complaint, general calendaring, routine motion practice, scheduling and obtaining court assistance with trial and pleading issues.

May 31: Multnomah County Judges Trial Practices Update. This two-hour program features presentations by Judges Judith Matarazzo, Jean Kerr Maurer and John Wittmayer. Topics include motion practice, jury selection and instructions, managing witnesses and exhibits and other procedural and practical issues faced by trial lawyers. The updated Judicial Practices Survey is included in the materials for this class.

Now Online: Supreme Court
Candidates Forum
Watch the video replay of the April 12 Supreme Court candidates’ debate sponsored by the OSB Appellate Practice Section and the Oregon lawyer chapter of the American Constitution Society. Find the link to the forum at www.osbar.org — a large gray box located near the top of the bar’s home page.

Donate Money to a Good Cause
by “Liking” the ABA on Facebook
To encourage legal professionals and law students to “like” the ABA Facebook page, through May 15 the ABA will donate 10 cents to one of these three causes for each “like” received: the Homeless Veterans Initiative; Law Day; and the Permanency Barriers Project.

To “like” the page, and for more information, visit www.tinyurl.com/LikeThe ABA. There will be drawings to win one of 40 prizes, including iPads and gift cards. Equity Foundation Announces 2012-13 Shepherd Scholars

Equity Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of the 2012-2013 Bill & Ann Shepherd Legal Scholarship Fund: Melissa Douglas, at Willamette University School of Law and Jonathan Patterson and Sarah Elizabeth Spring, at the University of Oregon School of Law.

Each law school will receive $4,000 on behalf of its honored recipient.

Shepherd Legal Scholars are required to demonstrate a healthy balance of academic success and activist commitment to the gay/lesbian/bi/trans civil rights movement. They are law student-activists heading into their last year of law school, dedicated to donating some aspect of their legal expertise to fighting bigotry and discrimination, with an emphasis on the rights of sexual minorities. The scholarship is named after the late Bill and Ann Shepherd, who in the mid-1970s co-founded what would become the Portland chapter of the International Federation of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays — PFLAG. Bill practiced law in Oregon for over 56 years, up until 10 days before his death in 1995, donating countless hours of pro bono work to the fledgling GBLT civil rights movement.